Field
The disclosure generally relates to a method, apparatus and system to deploy aquatic sensors to obtain oceanographic data.
Description of Related Art
Outdoor navigation has been widely deployed due to the development of various systems including: global-navigation-satellite-systems (GNSS), Global Positioning System (GPS), Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) and GALILEO. Such navigation techniques are only useful when satellite connection is readily available. GPS, GNSS and GLONASS are not suitable for geolocation when the receiver submerged in water.
Conventional underwater location systems include Navimate™ GPS for divers and GIB Positioning devices for robotics (manufactured by ACSA ALCEN™ of France). Such system generally use acoustic transmission but are not suited for large scale, inexpensive, deployment. Some of the conventional underwater location systems relay on a floating buoys to provide a radio link to a positioning satellite.
Applications for wireless sensor networks with location information already exist and has been implemented, for example, in agricultural applications. Conventional sensor-based applications include above-ground or above-surface antennas that rely on satellite positioning systems (i.e., GNSS, GPS, GLONASS) or other RF-based positioning systems for location determination. The ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio signals employed by these systems do not penetrate beneath the surface of the ocean.